


(mis)communication is key

by chasingforeverandaday



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Making Out, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Netflix and Chill, references to the fantastic piece of film known as The Mummy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:33:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27003583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingforeverandaday/pseuds/chasingforeverandaday
Summary: Gendry invites Arya over for Netflix and chill... only those words do not mean quite what he thinks they mean. Cue miscommunication, some lingerie bought under erroneous circumstances, and a happy ending.Prompt fill from welt-verbessererin on Tumblr.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 42
Kudos: 172





	(mis)communication is key

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Weltverbessererin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weltverbessererin/gifts).



> Sometimes a prompt just strikes that spark of inspiration just right. This would be one of those times. It did turn out somewhat more angsty than expected, but I'm gonna blame myself for that one, because someone just bingewatched Musketeers and became absolute Annamis trash over the weekend. If you have watched that show, you feel my pain and happiness and seriously, why did I not watch it sooner?
> 
> Anyways, this prompt was fun, especially since I had the joy of explaining what Netflix and chill meant to my parents a few weeks ago. Sigh. Okay, I'll stop rambling about myself now, and just say enjoy the silliness and please comment below! I love reading your thoughts!
> 
> (Also, I apologize for the formatting on the texts, still figuring out how I want those to look going forwards)

The staccato buzz of her phone on the library table pulls Arya out of the studying induced trance she’s been in since she sat down. Taking a moment to stretch out her arms and crack her neck, an unrestrained smile overtakes her face when she sees that Gendry had been the one to text her.

**_Do you want to do something tomorrow?_ **

_I’m sorry, who is this? Because I know my best friend, and he’s allergic to making plans, especially those that involve leaving either of our apartments._

**_You’re hysterical, really_. _I was thinking we could Netflix and chill, but if you don’t want to, that’s fine. Forget I said anything._**

Arya blinks, and then blinks again, just to be safe. Staring down at her screen, the words _Netflix and chill_ imprint themselves on her brain, so permanent she’ll be dreaming about them tonight. And on one hand, this turn of events simply does not compute in her head. There’s no way in hell this is happening right now, that Gendry had asked her over explicitly to have sex.

On the other hand, this is so incredibly blunt, just as Gendry is and always has been for as long as she’s known him. Because while Arya had long since imagined a hypothetical progression of their friendship into a romantic relationship to be, well, more romantic, it just sounds so much like something he would say if he was nervous. She can picture the blush on his cheeks and the awkward way he rubs the back of his neck when he’s embarrassed. 

So caught up in her own internal monologue, she misses the little gray dots blinking on her phone screen, only focusing again when it vibrates in her hand.

**_Arya, if you don’t want to, please don’t think we need to. I just thought…_ **

Panicking, she quickly types out a response, then another when she realizes with a cringe that she might be coming on a little too strong. 

_NO_

_No, I mean, yes, that sounds good. I would like that_

**_Yeah? Good, cause you and me, some pizza, my couch, and Netflix; it’ll be a great night ;)_ **

Somehow, it’s the winky face that decides it for her, because Gendry uses those so rarely, even with her. He just _has_ to be flirting. Blushing, she grins down at her phone as she tries to figure out what to say.

_It definitely will ;)_

_Does 7 work?_

**_I’ll see you then_ **

Dropping her phone onto the open pages of her textbook in disbelief, Arya pauses for a moment before doing a flailing happy dance in her seat, covering her mouth so the high pitched squeals don’t bother her neighbors. 

Completely aware of the fact that she won’t be getting anything else done here, she gathers up her things and hustles back to her apartment. Dumping all her school crap in her room and deftly avoiding a curious Sansa, she heads out to the mall, intent on finding something new and pretty and lacy for her date tomorrow night.

* * *

Sitting in her car on Friday night, Arya is freaking out with only five minutes before she needs to let Gendry know she’s arrived. Everything had seemed so simple yesterday when she went shopping, and this morning when she woke up alone but with the biggest smile on her face, and even an hour ago when she finally decided on her outfit for the night. 

Physically, she was comfortable, wearing a well worn pair of leggings with one of Gendry’s enormous sweatshirts she’d long since claimed as her own over the cute new lingerie she’d found. Mentally, she kept going over his words in her head, determined to puzzle out whether or not he’d actually been propositioning her with his text, if he was actually interested in her that way. He was her best friend, and gods know that she’d been at least halfway in love with him for years, so it almost felt too good to be true.

But honestly, she didn’t think it was. There was something there, a new, warm spark in Gendry’s eyes when he had been looking at her recently. She was the only person he ever really touched casually, arm slung around her shoulders whenever they went out or an absentminded finger playing with her hair when they sat next to each other. And their last movie night? Arya would swear up and down that Gendry had been leaning in to kiss her before Hot Pie had called and the loud, stupid ringtone had ruined any chance of a mood. 

Gathering up her courage, she checks her face one last time in the mirror, takes a deep breath, and texts him as she gets out of her car. _I’m here!_

Putting her phone back into her bag, she only has to wait a minute for Gendry to walk out onto his small balcony. Even three stories below, she can see the grin on his face as he tosses the set of keys to his building down to her wiggling fingers, smile widening when she catches them easily after months of practice. With a wave, she walks over to the entrance and lets herself in, saying a polite hello to one of the ladies on the second floor as she bounds up the stairs.

Before she can even raise her hand to knock on his door, it swings open to reveal a rather out of breath Gendry, dark hair adorably tousled and sticking out at all angles. At her raised eyebrow, he ducks his head and mutters something about almost forgetting to get the pizza out of the oven. 

With a smirk, she looks him up and down, for once letting herself fully enjoy the picture he presents, red-cheeked and looking oh so cuddly in his black tee shirt and soft grey sweatpants. “Did someone forget I was coming over and take a nap on the couch?”

His responding eye roll is so loud she can almost hear it. “Of course not, I could never forget milady.” Dodging the blow she aims for his shoulder, he grins down at her, “I simply was so distracted by your arrival that I might not have heard the timer right away.”

“Well, if that’s your story…” she trails off, finally feeling normal tonight as the banter they’ve perfected over the years flows naturally. Putting her bag down and slipping off her shoes, she looks back up at him. “So, dinner first?”

“Yep, figured we could eat at the table like actual adults, then watch _The Mummy_ for the hundredth time.” 

The snarky tone is entirely unneeded, so she smacks his arse as she walks over to the fridge for a pair of beer bottles, handing one over as she teases, “You say that like you don’t totally have a thing for Evie.”

“Tiny, spunky brunette who likes picking fights with people way bigger than her? No, that’s not my type at all,” and the sarcastic words would hurt far more if he wasn’t looking at her with so much affection in his gaze as he serves up the pizza. “Besides, don’t even try to tell me Rick O’Connell isn’t the perfect man in your eyes.”

“Hey, he’s hot and capable and charming, and smarter than everyone thinks he is, and really, really good with his hands. What’s not to like?” So what if she was actually describing Gendry more than Rick for part of that? It’s not like he hadn’t already figured out she liked him. “Oh, and he likes to scream back at mummies, which I assume can only be a positive.”

Grinning back at her with sauce smeared on the corner of his mouth, Gendry retorts, “Oh well of course.” 

For the rest of the meal, they trade playful barbs back and forth, their feet caught together under the table. It feels exactly like every other night she’s come over to Gendry’s before, yet so completely different. By the time they’ve cleaned up their plates, a steady hum of excitement and arousal has taken up residence in her stomach. Sitting in her normal spot leaning against him, she lets him hit play and tries to relax as he puts an arm behind her along the back of the couch.

She attempts to focus on the movie (which she can probably recite from memory she’s seen it so many times), and let Gendry be the one to make a move, but when the characters have made it onto the Nile River and he’s shown no signs of doing anything more than rub circles on the back of her neck, she takes matters into her own hands.

“Fuck it.” Swinging a leg over him, Arya straddles his lap and leans it, closing her eyes in anticipation of the kiss she’s been waiting forever to have.

Instead of lips, she feels nothing. Instead, he pushes her away from him, so far she would have almost fallen off of his legs, if not for the iron grip he locks around her upper arms. Reopening her eyes in surprise and hurt, she’s met with nothing but confusion and panic in his own clear blue gaze. “Wait! What are you doing?”

Trying to salvage the situation, she smiles tentatively as she slowly loops a gentle hand around his neck. “You were taking too long, so I thought I’d move our evening along to the fun part of ‘Netflix and chilling’.”

“The fun part?” He pulls her closer, only enough so that she’s no longer on the verge of tumbling to the ground, and then removes his hands from her entirely. “Arya, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Heart in her throat, Arya puts a hand over her mouth in horror, the realization that she’d just ruined the best friendship she’s ever had crashing down around her. Shakily, she stands, just to stumble sideways onto the other end of the couch when he reaches for her, concern written all over his face. “I should, shit, I should definitely go.”

“Arya, what does it mean? What did I… say?” He’s frozen in his seat, just staring at her like she’s a wild animal set to run for the hills at the drop of a hat.

Trembling in her seat, she slumps over, barely able to look at him, choosing to address a spot on the lampshade behind his head. “Netflix and chill means you were inviting me over to have sex. You turn on a movie you aren’t actually going to watch, and then you have sex. That’s what it means, that’s what you asked.”

Gendry jumps off the couch like it has burned him, turning to look down at her in dismay. “You thought that I was asking you out like that? Fuck Arya, give me a little more credit than that!”

She stands just as quickly, just as violently, before waving her hands around, like maybe she can gather everything back together and pretend this never actually happened. “Well it’s not like you’ve ever asked me out before, how was I supposed to know?” 

“Yes I have!” 

“No you haven’t! Pretty sure I would remember that!” Because there is no way in hell she could have missed something so important, so life altering as Gendry asking her out.

“For THREE MONTHS last year I tried asking you out, repeatedly, and you kept inviting other people!” And okay, maybe she does remember an odd number of times when Gendry looked disappointed because she brought along other friends so they weren’t alone together. But that was just so she wouldn’t be tempted to jump him when he took her axe throwing or when they went to the gym or even when they had movie nights here on his couch. He may have a point about her own willful ignorance, but it’s not like she would have said no if he’d come right out and said something!

He’s still ranting though, not recognizing the dawning understanding on her face. “Do you know how many dates Hot Pie third wheeled? A lot! Eventually I gave up because obviously you don’t feel that way about me, and that’s fine! You let me down gently, I figured that out.” That answers her unspoken question as to whether or not he still thought of her that way. God, if only she hadn’t been so stupid as to not see what was right in front of her. “But now… how could you think I could just, would just ask you over for sex?” The sheer accusation in his tone on the last word sets her off again, spitting mad at both of them for being so utterly clueless.

“You winky faced me!” she shrieks, jabbing his stupid, firm, muscly chest with her finger. “You sent a fucking winky face and I thought you were flirting and I thought you wanted me too!” Taking a deep breath, she motions for him to move and get out of her way, “I really have to go.”

“No, wait, Arya, please! You still came over. You wanted to…” Something dawns in his eyes, but the vulnerability she’s showing now that he knows is just too much, her skin too tight for her to hold everything in, and she explodes.

“I’ve been half in love with you for forever! Of course I said yes, I’d rather have part of you than none of you!” Running a hand over her face so she doesn’t have to look at him, her voice drops, “And besides, I just thought you were asking me out and being your normal awkward self about it. You kept asking if I was sure, and saying I didn’t have to, and it just, it felt like you were finally making a move! And now I’m realizing how utterly wrong I was, and I need to leave, because you don’t–” 

Gendry catches her arm as she tries to move past him to the door, desperate to escape, but so pulls her so easily back to him, like they’re magnets forever attracted to each other, and falls backwards onto the couch, back into that position that had started this all in the first place, with her straddling his lap. 

“I love you too.” Any struggle to get out of his embrace leaves her in an instant, replaced by wonder and hope.

“You, you do?” she stutters.

“Course I do, you’re Arya.” Carefully, he tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear before cupping her face in his hand. “Like you said, it’s only been you, for pretty much forever.”

With a sound that could generously be described as a sob, she yanks him forwards into that kiss she’s been dreaming of for years. And it’s perfect, because it’s him and they’re them, and they’ve always moved with each other so naturally, even when they didn’t realize it. He’s so warm, and she wants to just live in his lap forever, this perfect spot made just for her as they kiss and kiss and kiss.

Sooner than she’d like, he pulls back to take in a gasping breath, blue eyes dark with arousal as she grinds lower into his lap. Just before he can dive back in, she remembers something and puts a hand to his chest. “Wait!”

“Why?” he startles back, dazed. “Shit, did I do something wrong?”

“What? No, of course not, I just,” she centers herself and looks him right in the eye, “I love you. I wanted to say that, out loud and on purpose so you could hear it, when I wasn’t yelling at you.”

Grinning, Gendry looks happier than she’s ever seen him. “Thanks, I appreciate it. Now, do you wanna…?” His wiggling eyebrows are ridiculous, and she just about laughs in his face. 

“Gods, you’re such a dork. Why do I find that attractive again?” Arya pretends to contemplate the notion seriously, but ends up giggling when he decides to attack her neck with wet, smacking kisses instead.

“Don’t know, you’re the one who thinks so.” Nudging her back with a light touch, he whips his shirt over his head and practically preens when she can’t help but stare at his well muscled torso. “Pretty sure this helps though.”

“Shut up, I do not just want you for your body. And here,” reaching down, she shimmies his sweatshirt over her head, dropping it to the side so she’s just left with the strappy, lacy black bra she’d found yesterday that makes it look like she actually has boobs. "Does that even the playing field?"

“Holy shit.” It’s almost like he can’t decide where he wants to look or touch, his hands fluttering between her sides and the font of her chest. “You’ve been wearing this the whole time?”

Arching an eyebrow as she smirks, Arya traces a finger over his own bare chest. “Hey, I thought you knew we were having sex, I had to surprise you somehow!”

“Oh, I’m definitely surprised. You look…” Rather than finish his sentence, he leans forward and plants a gentle kiss on her shoulder, just outside the lacy strap. “Ravishing.” 

Another kiss, this time inside the strap, closer to her neck. “Delicious.” 

Another, in the hollow of her throat. “Beautiful.”

His hot breath tickles her ear as she moans, arching into him as he laughs gruffly. “You’re the prettiest present I’ve ever seen, and I’m thinking I should open you up in private.” With a sharp nip to her earlobe, he stands them both up and throws her over his shoulder, the movie still playing on his TV completely forgotten as he strides quickly to his bedroom, Arya’s giggles urging him on.

**Author's Note:**

> The whole "dropping the keys from a third story balcony for my friends to catch" is actually how my only friend with their own place lets us into his building. We've (somewhat) improved our catching skills in the past year or so, but not like, a lot.


End file.
